Nephew of Blind Activist Gets Jail Term

By

Josh Chin

Updated Nov. 30, 2012 10:40 a.m. ET

BEIJING—A Chinese court sentenced the nephew of blind legal activist Chen Guangcheng to 39 months in prison after an unexpected trial on Friday, according to a close family friend, in a case that Mr. Chen believes is part of a long government campaign to intimidate and silence him.

Chen Kegui had been charged with assaulting officials who burst into his home after his uncle staged a daring escape from informal house arrest in his village in northeastern China's Shandong province in April and fled for protection to the...